Latest Chan Division News
Research

Analysis of more than 82,000 autistic children’s healthcare usage data finds sex, race, ethnicity disparities ⟩
April 29, 2022

Autism Community and Partners Research

Findings provide new insights and elicit new questions for understudied autistic groups.

By Mike McNulty (Photo/Adobe Stock) A new analysis of data collected from more than 82,000 autistic children across seven years reveals significant differences in their healthcare utilization according to sex, race and ethnicity. Results of the study led by Assistant Professor Amber Angell and its…

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New analysis of developmental screen finds autistic children showed heightened sensory, motor behaviors as infants ⟩
March 7, 2022

Autism Community and Partners Research

By analyzing more than 6,000 questionnaire responses, team of USC and UNC researchers identify areas during infancy linked to later neurodevelopmental risks.

By Mike McNulty (Photo/Adobe Stock) Early detection of autism within the community — in the home, at daycare, or during well child visits, for example — is critical to increasing access to early intervention services. But surprisingly, there are just a few tools that can reliably identify the…

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New study shows autism correlated with changing sensory preferences during early childhood ⟩
March 3, 2022

Autism Community and Partners Research

Results from a USC–UNC study suggest sensory issues in early infancy may be the first signs of a later autism diagnosis.

By Mike McNulty (Photo/Adobe Stock) Results from a new study published today in Child Development provide the first longitudinal evidence about the trajectories of sensory reactivity patterns during early childhood among a large community sample with diverse developmental outcomes. Many autistic…

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Peace garden, narrative research study selected for post-pandemic initiative funding ⟩
February 25, 2022

Awards Community and Partners Health and Wellness Pandemic Research

Innovative community-focused projects are part of USC Chan’s $2.5M ReSPONs Initiative.

By Mike McNulty Future site of the University Park Peace Garden (Photo/Courtesy of Camille Dieterle) Peace and understanding have been in relatively short supply throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To help restore them both in the wake of the past two tumultuous years, the USC Chan Division is funding…

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New study first to show figurative language comprehension relies upon brain’s motor regions ⟩
January 18, 2022

Research

USC neuroscientists demonstrate that, like literal language, abstract metaphors are embodied in the brain.

By Mike McNulty Sample test item courtesy of Lisa Aziz-Zadeh “Bend your ear.” “Grasping at straws.” “Kick the bucket.” English is filled with figurative language that makes meaning by evoking physical actions of the human body. During the past decade, a number of scientific studies have…

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Newly published review covers current brain-gut-microbiome and autism literature ⟩
December 16, 2021

Autism Diversity, Access, Equity Research Students

Co-first authors of Nutrients review supported by USC’s DIA JumpStart undergraduate pipeline program.

By Mike McNulty (Illustration by Martina/Adobe Stock) A new scoping review of nearly 200 publications covering the relationships between autism spectrum disorder and the brain–gut–microbiome system was published online today in Nutrients. The review synthesizes the growing body of research…

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Work-from-home survey reveals pandemic’s impacts upon employees’ physical and mental health, productivity and daily routines ⟩
November 17, 2021

Faculty Health and Wellness Pandemic Research Technology

How to support office workers’ health and wellness, when the “office” can be located anywhere.

By Jamie Wetherbe MA ’04 In the spring of 2020, Associate Professor Shawn Roll and his research collaborators from across USC were two years into developing the next generation of intelligent workstations that can optimize employee productivity in the office. The team has diverse yet complementary…

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Dr. Lucy Jane Miller honored with 2021 Patricia Buehler Legacy Award for Clinical Innovation ⟩
October 7, 2021

Awards Clinical Events Lectures and Talks Research

The USC Chan Division is honored to announce the recipient of the 2021 Patricia Buehler Legacy Award for Clinical Innovation, Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, PhD, OTR/L. Dr. Miller prepared her 2021 Buehler Award lecture, titled “What A Long Strange Trip It Has Been: Making a Difference.” The lecture was…

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USC Chan commits $2.5M to post-pandemic response ⟩
April 26, 2021

Academics and Courses Associations and Bodies Community and Partners Diversity, Access, Equity Pandemic Research

Three-year initiative to fast-track projects addressing occupational needs and health of individuals, families and communities.

By Mike McNulty ReSPONs conceptual schematic The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy has launched a $2.5 million initiative comprising a variety of projects aimed at the coronavirus, economic and racial pandemics, the combined effects of which are sure to be felt for…

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New project aims to increase trust for future autism research ⟩
April 2, 2021

Autism Awards Community and Partners Diversity, Access, Equity Faculty Health and Wellness Research

Two-year project will build formal alliances that accentuate perspectives of autistic people, their family members and caregivers, service providers and researchers.

By Mike McNulty For too long, too few autistic people have had a say in how autism research is designed, developed and disseminated, and researchers have not tapped into the expertise that only autistic people and their families have. A new USC-coordinated project looks to upend that disparity by…

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